Boston University singing the blues after UMass goalie Jeff Teglia stymies hockey team in 2-2 tie

University of Massachusetts freshman goaltender Jeff Teglia skated into a first-period reception hall Saturday night to sounds he didn’t expect.

He was being serenaded by Boston University fans at Agganis Arena. Behind him, with a pep band accompaniment, the red- and white-clothed supporters sang out a PG-rated insult in drawn-out fashion.

Jeff Teglia

When they finished, the BU fans behind the opposite goal took their turn. They left no doubt that Teglia was in enemy territory. As the BU public address announcer shouts at each home game’s opening faceoff, “This is Hockey East, Let’s play hockey.”

“It was nerve-wracking to play in at first,” said the rookie UMass goaltender of his first full collegiate game in place of injured senior Paul Dainton.

The music didn’t stop when the Terriers scored twice in the first 11 minutes. Blow-outs happen often at BU, and this was the Terriers’ home opener. The team and its boisterous fans were eager to make an opening statement to erase the memories of last year’s disappointing season.

But Teglia and the Minutemen stopped the music and turned the game around. UMass fought back for a 2-2 overtime tie, with Teglia making 33 saves overall, including six in overtime.

“It was an awesome experience to have for your first collegiate start,” said Teglia, who entered the second game at Minnesota when Dainton got hurt. “I was happy with my play. I thought I made some good saves.”

UMass fans should enjoy watching the 6-foot, 180-pounder from Bloomingdale, Ill., over the next four years. But they will probably have to watch him from the edge of their seats. He isn’t your typical goaltender. He gets into the middle of the action, and does not hesitate to leave the vicinity of the net for a loose puck. And although he had a couple of near-mishaps Saturday night, he’s not planning to change his style.

“I like to try and help out my teammates by playing the puck,” the smiling Teglia said as he loaded his gear on a UMass bus filled with happy players and staff.

By his own admission, one of his early ventures nearly cost a goal. To rousing reaction from the crowd, Teglia charged out of his net to try to prevent a breakaway.

“I didn’t think (Michael Marcou) was going to get to the loose puck, so I came out, and sort of fumbled it,” he said.

The two collided and Teglia said he still doesn’t know what happened to the puck because he was lying on his back, looking up at the ceiling. Fortunately, the puck was deflected into a corner, wide of the net, and a whistle quickly followed that stopped play.

No moment was as tense as Matt Nieto of BU’s breakaway with 9.3 seconds left in overtime.

“I saw the pass get to the guy at the blue line, and I said, ‘I can’t believe this is happening after all this,’” Teglia said. “I also saw he had good pressure from the back, I think it was Michael Marcou, so I knew he was going to shoot, and I stood our pretty far on top of the crease, and he shot wide.”